Far East
by sweet-penelope
Summary: Traveling great distances was not new to the young Miss Inoue. She was always ready for the next place, a new start - that is what her father had always prepared her for. When he had summoned her to follow him to their new destination she was hardly surprised, until she arrived. Nothing could have prepared her for this new land in the Far East.
1. Chapter 1

The wind blew through her intricately tied up hair, pulling little strands of it out to whip around her face as she sailed into the harbor of this newly discovered land. It had been months since her father had sent for her from England to come join him and she was only now just arriving.

She hadn't seen him in over a year. He had left hurriedly in excitement and anticipation of new business prospects in the east. Not many knew of the incredible exports the new land had to offer and it was the perfect time to take advantage of it. "To get a leg up on the competition" he would always say.

"Be careful, Miss Inoue! If you get any closer to the edge the wind may blow you overboard. Your father would never forgive me." A dark haired woman called out from the safety of the main deck. She was practically fearless in every aspect but the ocean.

The brunette's name was Tatsuki. She was orphaned when both of her parents, Japanese immigrants, perished in a fire at the factory they were working in. Once the older Inoue had heard of what had happened, combined with his fascination for the Far East, he couldn't help but offer the child a position in his home. She was to become the Miss Inoue's lady maid and companion. Over the years the two had become inseparable.

The closer they got to the shore, Inoue could not find a single face she recognized. She was sure her father would be waiting for her to dock. He always greeted her upon arrivals, whether she was traveling the short distance from London to Bath, or a great distance, like the time she made her way to England all the way from America. A frown of disappointment appeared on her face. Perhaps he was too busy to come see his daughter to their new lodgings. His new business ventures were probably very taxing, especially since they all were so new, in a different land, with an entirely different language. Luckily she had Tatsuki to translate - sort of.

Finally the boat was anchored and the two women were directed to exit it. As the young Miss Inoue made her way down the ramp and through the crowd she noticed she must have been quite the spectacle. Every last set of eyes turned to look at her. It was no surprise as she did look different from these people. Her hair was red, her skin was pale, her garments were of the latest fashion from London - very different from the dress here. The people of this place had dark hair, their skin was tan, and even their facial features held no resemblance to the Caucasian faces she was so used to seeing back home. They even differed from her companion. Though they were of the same race, Tatsuki had the privilege of growing up in comfort where they did not. Hard labor must age people quickly she concluded.

"Orihime Inoue." A deep voice called out to her. Her shoulders tensed and she slowly turned to meet the handsome brown eyes of the man who had just spoke her name. He was much taller than the others who filled the harbor. His hair was an odd shade of red and much more vibrant than her own. He did not look completely like everyone else, yet he did not look like her. He must be mixed she concluded. Realizing that she had been staring at him for far too long, she turned a deep shade of pink and quickly looked away. He bowed and gestured for her to follow him.

"But our things..." She turned to look longingly back at the boat that held her multitudes of frocks, shoes, and books. The young man did not understand what she had said until he followed her gaze to the boxes that held her belongings.

"I will see to our cargo." Tatsuki smirked all knowingly, winked at her friend, and rushed off to attend to their things. The young woman watched as the only person she felt any comfort with disappeared into the crowd of people. After her friend had completely gone from her sight, she gazed up at the beautiful stranger who was now responsible for transporting her to her new home. His eyes met hers. She was caught for the second time and she blushed yet again. Why did he have to be so darn good looking?

The young man had never seen a white woman in person before - not even his mother who supposedly was. He had only seen crude drawings or paintings of what the Japanese assumed they looked like. No picture compared to the beauty he saw before him. From her fair skin, to the light color of her hair, and the exaggerated curves of her body, she was a true sight to behold. He never thought a foreigner would be that attractive. He was half convinced he was dreaming and would be woken up at any moment. Forgetting his manners in favor of knowing, he held out his fingers to brush her shoulder. He could feel her, therefore she was real.

He took her gently by the arm and navigated her through more hordes of people. Waiting for them some distance from the harbor was a group of men and horses. He said something to them in his own language and they took off towards the docked ship and her companion. She supposed they were going to help load her belongings and take them to where they were staying.

The tall redheaded man motioned for her to mount one of the horses. She stared back at him wide eyed.

"I can't." She shook her head and quickly backed away from the large animal. He reached for her waist and she batted his hands away. He tightened his grip on her. She began to kick and squirm in his arms. After a short battle he managed to lift the protesting girl up to sit sidesaddle. Her body froze instantly. Tears began to stream down her pink cheeks. Her breathing became erratic, her soft cries desperate. She was truly afraid. Not of him, but the horse?

"P-please, let me down." She pleaded softly as she held her shaky hands out for his. He gently pushed them back down into her lap. In one quick leap he joined her atop the horse. She instinctively buried her face in his chest. The top of her auburn hair reached just blow his nose and he could smell her sweet scent. It was foreign and intoxicating. He inhaled deeply, reveling in it. He hoped that she did not notice.

"This woman," he thought, "will be my undoing." He wrapped one arm protectively around her and grasped the reigns. Off they went with the kick of his heels.

He knew she was scared, but he also knew they wouldn't make it back to the estate in good time by foot. She was a white woman and from what he had heard they didn't travel well. The odd clothes she was wearing wouldn't allow for it anyway, so they had no other option. He rode as quickly as he could so she would spend as little time as possible on the beast, leaving the others and her belongings far behind.

As they raced forward she would not move - her face was still plastered against his chest. He could feel her body shaking, her fingernails digging into his sides, and her tears soaking through his shirt. He pulled her a little bit closer in hopes that it would comfort her. He never knew such a harmless animal could cause such anxiety.

After traveling quite some time the property became visible in the distance. He pushed the horse to gallop faster, shortening the distance between them and the house.

"We are almost there." He whispered to the girl in his arms. He knew she would not understand his language, but maybe she would understand what he was trying to do - calm her. She did not respond.

As soon as he made it to the entrance of the estate, the redheaded man slowly pushed the girl away from his body. Reluctantly she let go. He climbed down from the horse and immediately held his arms out for the woman in his care. She flung herself into them eagerly, almost knocking the both of them over.

He looked down at her face. It was still wet with tears, cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were red and puffy. Using the sleeve if his shirt he wiped the moisture from her skin.

"N-never... Do that... A-again!" She managed to spit out while smacking his chest with both of her hands in frustration. It was an attempt to push him away, but he would not budge. In fact, he barely noticed and held her gaze. She took a step backward, away from his grasp, her knees wobbled. Another step, her legs began to give away. Suddenly the world around her went black.

Her escort saved her from injury by catching her before she could hit the ground. As if she were filled with feathers, the young man lifted her into his arms and carried her towards the entrance.

Servants ran to greet the two, startled by what they saw. An unconscious woman, carried bridal style through the foyer.

"What happened, Kurosaki?" The eldest if the maids asked, obviously irritated. He was to deliver the girl in one piece and good health. "She was supposed to be handled with care!"

"The horse-" He tried to explain, but was quickly cut off.

"Bring her over here." The older woman impatiently waved for him to follow her. They walked a ways down a hallway, lined with various rooms, until they reached one of the finest living spaces the young man had ever seen. The room was filled with trinkets, hand embroidered pillows, silk drapes and sheets. So this was how the other half lived. His thoughts were cut short again. "Stop staring, idiot! Put her here!"

The blankets were drawn back to place the sleeping beauty in bed. Reluctantly, he gently laid her down. The feeling of her body pressed up against his own felt too good. He watched as the old hag started to undo the white girl's hair. Each pin she pulled from the mass of waves tumbled down like a copper waterfall. She was even more attractive with her hair down, free of the restrictions of bows and other bobbles.

"Are you just going to stand there like a pervert?" The old maid barked at him. He shook himself out of his trance and turned to leave. "Don't even think about this girl. She is too fine for the likes of you."

"No." He replied quietly.

"No...?" She waited for him to address her properly.

"Aunt." He finally responded. She was an irritating old lady, but he loved her nonetheless.

As soon as he exited a room, he felt a pain in his chest. The sensation he knew well, but hoped it was just a coincidence. He continued to move forward. With each step the feeling became more intense.

"Himeeee." A dark voice whispered. The hairs on the back of Kurosaki's neck stood on end. Panic filled his body. It was back. "I never left... King."

()()()()()

"Hime?" It was Tatsuki. Slowly Miss Inoue's eyes opened and she rolled her head to the side to see her good friend beside her bed. She gave her companion a warm smile. "You must have been so exhausted after..."

"It's okay. I need to get over my fear one of these days. Why not start now?" She laughed uncomfortably and slowly sat up to assess her surroundings. "We definitely aren't in England anymore."

"No, we aren't..." Tatsuki responded. After a rather long silence and some awkward looks the brunette decided it was time to interrogate the redhead. "So... The soldier who carted you off. He is rather handsome, is he not?"

"W-w-what?" The lady of the house squeaked. Her face turned such a deep crimson she could feel the heat stinging her cheeks. "Indeed he is, but my father wouldn't hear of it. He is a mere soldier. A very handsome, strong, brave, and stubborn, soldier."

"At least we have one pretty face to look upon." Tatsuki sighed. "Some of the men who escorted me weren't so horrible to look at either."

"Do tell!" Orihime clasped her hands together in anticipation. It was rare for her friend to show preference towards any man. Finally they would talk like women their age should.

"It's late. I should really get some rest." Just like that, the redhead's hopes of talking about all things romantic were dashed. Her companion rose from her seat and made her way towards the door. "I'll be next door if you need anything. I'm glad you're well. Oh, and your charming soldier is staying here."

"R-really? Why?" The redhead asked, smiling widely. Perking up again.

"Your father wanted someone to look after you and the house." Tatsuki rolled her eyes at her lady's enthusiasm.

"What about the others?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Some of the escorts are here as well." The lady maid knew where the conversation was going, but allowed it to continue anyway.

"Any of the handsome ones?" Another question. It was asked with almost too much excitement.

"I'm going to bed!"

"Next time I'll pin you down and make you tell me who you like!" They both laughed and said their goodnights. Miss Inoue fell back into her pillow and stretched before letting sleep retake her.


	2. Chapter 2

Orihime awoke to darkness. It was still night and she did not feel the least bit tired anymore. She had slept quite awhile already.

She was extremely curious of her surroundings, as she always was each time her father moved them to a new location. She decided to have a look around. She took the sheet from her bed and wrapped it around her night gown clad body. It may not be a robe, but it would have to do. A lady shouldn't be wandering around so scantily clad and a sheet was all that was readily available. She shuffled her way towards the large windows by her bed. She pulled the curtain to the side and peered out. The moon was full and bright and flooded her room with a soft, silver light. She pushed one window open. It led to a terrace. It was warm out and there was barely a breeze, so she stepped out to view the land surrounding the fairly large house. She saw stairs that dropped down to a path through what looked to be a garden. It wasn't too far away and she was so eager to explore, so decided it was safe to investigate.

In the moonlight she could still see the vibrant colors of flowers, the different shades of greens of the leaves and grass. The pink petals of the cherry blossoms looked magnificent in the dim light. They could only be more so in the day time she concluded.

On she went. One path turned into another and soon she found she was quite a ways from her new home. It looked so small in the distance. She decided it was time to turn back before she got too carried away.

She stopped for a moment when curiosity took her once again. There was a faint sound of heavy breathing and then an agonizing moan. She slowly walked towards the noise and away from her home, continuing down the path. It curved into an old shack where the sound appeared to be emanating from. They must be in severe pain and needed her help. She slowly slid the door open.

"Soldier!" She gasped as she ran to the familiar man on the floor. She dropped to his side, trying to assess the situation. He tried to push her away, complaining in his language all the while. She resisted him. He was too weak to fight her off and she took advantage if it.

"It's dangerous." He managed to grunt out, but it fell on deaf ears. She did not understand a word he said. The stupid girl came to a country she knew nothing about and didn't even bother to learn a few helpful words. Her mere presence increased his frustrations. Now, was he not only in pain, he had to deal with an absent minded white woman who didn't understand the situation she was now putting the both of them in.

Whatever was inside him wanted out and wanted her even more. Since she had arrived it had awakened anew. It clawed at his insides, pecking away at his innards like a crazed, caged bird. He thought he had tamed whatever demon resided in him, but her presence, or even the thought of her drove it mad.

"Aaaaargh!" He yelled through gritted teeth. It knew she was there, just as much as he did. It wanted out. The pain was becoming unbearable. His body broke into a heavy sweat.

"I'll go get help." She rose to her feet quickly and he grabbed the hem of her gown. The sheet fell from her shoulders. She wrapped her arms around herself, attempting to cover her exposed body. He shook his head from side to side. He assumed she wanted to bring someone back. He did not want help. It would only infuriate the being inside him further. It would kill her and whoever else, landing him in prison again. He would control it. "Then what should I do?"

She dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around him in an attempt to comfort him. Her body pressed flush against his. Excitement coursed through his veins. Her sweet scent invaded his nostrils. That foreign, intoxicating scent. It drove him and the evil inside him insane. Its strength soared to knew heights, but he matched it. For her sake.

"I'll... I'll protect you." He breathed out. The only thing she understood was that he was in pain. She kissed his forehead gently, like her father used to do when she was sick. It always seemed to work on her. Her touch was soft and electrifying. He wished that he could enjoy it alone, but then again she wouldn't be here if it weren't for It. His hollow, in turn, wouldn't be here if she hadn't come to Soul Society. What was it about this beautiful stranger that drove him and the monster mad?

He screamed in pain again. It was winning and he could no longer hold on. He was thrown into the back of his mind to watch helplessly as the beast took over. She would die. He was sorry, so very, very sorry.

His panicked state disappeared in almost an instant and the young woman slowly let go to examine the man she'd been trying to comfort. His breaths were heavy, but he was conscious. His face looked up at hers. His eyes, skin, and even his hair was not the same.

"Soldier?" She wasn't sure what to make of the situation. He was in pain, now he was not. He had brown eyes, now they were black with gold orbs that stared at her so intensely. His hair was short, now it was long. His skin had lost its color.

"Himeeee." Her pet name was ground out with a voice that wasn't human. It was terrifying. Every inch she backed away, it followed her by two. It wrapped its long fingers around her arms, holding her in place as it assaulted her neck with it's long tongue.

"Don't!" She cried out. One of its hands slid up the length of her leg. It dug its nails into the thick flesh of her hip. "P-please don't."

It gently lowered her body back to lay on the hard surface of the ground, straddling her legs. It grinned, sharp teeth glinting in the light, down at her as it slid its fingers from her hip up the side of her waist, and up to her rib cage. The demon's long thumb caressed the fabric that stretch over her breast. She tensed, unsure of what to do.

The beast slid both hands to her chest to cup her ample bust. Its fingers curled around the neckline of her night dress and ripped the thin cloth apart, exposing her womanly assets. The young woman's heart raced out of both terror and excitement. Her eyes shut tight.

Its head dipped, mouth latching over an erect nipple. She gasped. A moan of pleasure escaped her lips. It felt hot and wet on such a sensitive area. She felt a large hand sliding up her inner thigh to... To...

"NO!" She screamed. A yellow light formed between them, blasting the possessed man to the wall. He fell unconscious.

She sat still, slowing her breathing as she eyed the silent figure. What in the world had just happened?

()()()()()

When Miss Inoue sensed there was no more danger, or excitement, she crawled towards the unconscious man she called Soldier. She checked his forehead, no fever. His breathing had calmed and seemed normal. She leaned over him to check his head for injury.

"Inoue!" Soldier yelled. His eyes opened in an instant. What he saw he was hardly prepared for. Two large breasts with thin, torn fabric barely covering them, just inches away from his face. The young woman drew back, startled by his sudden outburst.

His face was red with mortification, and she, though a bit rattled, was happy to see her friend alive, awake, and himself again. She leaned in to wrap her arms around him in a hug. All he could do was accept her advances.

"You did not die?" He questioned aloud as she squeezed him. She was supposed to die. The Hollow never let anyone live. A very slight hint of a smile curved his lips. He was so overjoyed he allowed himself to wrap his arms around her and return her embrace.

"Oh, Soldier! I was so scared! You turned into this thing and..." She remembered she was probably not making any sense and quieted her rambling. She pulled back to look at him once more. Curious of his transformation. As her eyes examined him further, he tried to keep his eyes from examining her heaving chest. He was only human and a man at that. He scanned the room for something to cover her with. Her sheet lay a small distance from them and stood hastily to retrieve it. She carefully watched him as he moved. He picked up the covering and slowly draped it gently over her shoulders. She looked down where the shawl landed and quickly noticed how exposed she was. She winced, pulling the fabric tight over her bosom. He offered her his hand, she took it and he pulled her up to stand with him. "Thank you... Um, a-ari..."

"Gato. Arigato." He corrected her. She repeated the word several times, hoping to make it stick. She was determined to learn something of his language correctly.

He led her towards the door. It was too late for a young lady to be out and if they were discovered rumors were sure to start. As much as he wanted to linger and bask in her beauty, it was improper. He knew that she was too good for him on all levels - looks, personality, and station. After he escorted her to her room safely, he would keep his distance. For her reputation's sake and for her safety.


End file.
